 | |
| Owner | Scott Alden |
|---|---|
| URL | boardgamegeek |
| Launched | January 2000; 24 years ago (2000-01) |
BoardGameGeek (BGG) is an online forum for board gaming hobbyists and a game database that holds reviews, images and videos for over 125,600 different tabletop games, including European-style board games, wargames, and card games. In addition to the game database, the site allows users to rate games on a 1–10 scale and publishes a ranked list of board games.
History
BoardGameGeek was founded in January 2000 by Scott Alden and Derk Solko, and marked its 20th anniversary on 20 January 2020.
Since 2005, BoardGameGeek hosts an annual board game convention, BGG.CON, that has a focus on playing games, and where winners of the Golden Geek Awards are announced. New games are showcased and convention staff is provided to teach rules. There is also an annual Spring BGG.CON which is family friendly, and an annual BGG@Sea which is held on a cruise.
In 2010, BoardGameGeek received the Diana Jones Award, which recognized it as "a resource without peer for board and card gamers, the recognized authority of this online community." The New York Times has called BoardGameGeek "the hub of board gaming on the Internet."
In 2020, BoardGameGeek was inducted into the Origins Award Hall of Fame.
The site has branched out into other fields by using the same system for RPGs and video games (rpggeek.com and videogamegeek.com).
Golden Geek Award
Since 2006, the site annually awards the best new board games of the year with the Golden Geek Award. Winners are selected based on a vote by registered users.
2006–2009
| Category | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game of the Year | Caylus | Shogun | Agricola | Dominion |
| Best Strategy Game | Caylus | Shogun | Agricola | Le Havre |
| Best Wargame | Twilight Struggle | Combat Commander: Europe | Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage | Combat Commander: Pacific |
| Best Children's Board Game | Nacht Der Magier | Zooloretto | Chateau Roquefort | Sorry! Sliders |
| Best 2-Player Board Game | Twilight Struggle | BattleLore and Commands & Colors: Ancients | Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage | Space Hulk (third edition) |
| Best Family Board Game | Ingenious | Zooloretto | Thebes | Pandemic |
| Best Party Board Game | Diamant | Wits and Wagers | Say Anything | Time's Up! Deluxe |
| Best Card Game | - | Caylus Magna Carta | Race for the Galaxy | Dominion |
| Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation | - | BattleLore | Jamaica | Space Hulk (third edition) |
| Best Board Game Expansion | - | - | - | Pandemic: On The Brink |
| Best Print & Play Board Game | - | - | - | Dune Express |
| Best Innovative Board Game | - | - | - | Space Alert |
2010–2019
| Category | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game of the Year | Hansa Teutonica | Dominant Species | Eclipse | Terra Mystica | Splendor | Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 | Scythe | Gloomhaven | Root | Wingspan |
| Best Strategy Game | Hansa Teutonica | Dominant Species | Eclipse | Terra Mystica | Five Tribes | Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 | Scythe | Gloomhaven | Brass: Birmingham | Wingspan |
| Best Wargame | Washington's War | A Few Acres of Snow | Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan | 1775: Rebellion | Fire in the Lake | Churchill | Falling Sky: The Gallic Revolt Against Caesar | 878 Vikings: Invasions of England | Hannibal & Hamilcar | Undaunted: Normandy |
| Best Children's Board Game | Forbidden Island | Animal Upon Animal: Balancing Bridge | King of Tokyo | Forbidden Desert | Tales & Games: The Hare & the Tortoise | - | - | - | - | - |
| Best 2-Player Board Game | Washington's War | A Few Acres of Snow | Android: Netrunner | Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game | Star Realms | 7 Wonders Duel | Star Wars: Rebellion | Codenames: Duet | KeyForge: Call of the Archons | Watergate |
| Best Family Board Game | Tobago | 7 Wonders | King of Tokyo | Love Letter | Splendor | Codenames | Codenames: Pictures | Azul | The Quacks of Quedlinburg | Wingspan |
| Best Party Board Game | Telestrations | Dixit Odyssey | King of Tokyo | Love Letter | Cash n' Guns 2nd Ed. | Codenames | Codenames: Pictures | Warewords | The Mind | Wavelength |
| Best Card Game | Innovation | 7 Cudów Świata | Android: Netrunner | Love Letter | Star Realms | 7 Wonders Duel | Arkham Horror: The Card Game | Century: Spice Road | The Mind | Wingspan |
| Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation | - | Merchants & Marauders | Takenoko | Mice and Mystics | Abyss | Mysterium | Scythe | Photosynthesis | Root | Wingspan |
| Best Board Game Expansion | Dominion: Prosperity | Twilight Imperium: Shards of the Throne | Alien Frontiers: Factions | Lords of Waterdeep: Scoundrels of Skullport | 7 Wonders: Babel | Ticket to Ride Map Collection: Volume 5 United Kingdom & Pennsylvania | 7 Wonders Duel: Pantheon | Scythe: The Wind Gambit | Scythe: The Rise of Fenris | Wingspan: European Expansion |
| Best Print & Play Board Game | Zombie in My Pocket | The Thing | D-Day Dice: Free Trial Version | Tiny Epic Kingdoms & Coin Age | ...and then we held hands... | Dune: The dice game | Star Trek: The Dice Game | My Little Scythe | Orchard: A 9 card solitaire game | TINYforming Mars |
| Best Innovative Board Game | Catacombs | A Few Acres of Snow | Risk: Legacy | Love Letter | Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game | Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 | Captain Sonar | Gloomhaven | Root | Wingspan |
| Best Thematic Board Game | War of the Ring Collector's Edition | Mansions of Madness | Mage Knight Board Game | Robinson Crusoe: Adventure on the Cursed Island | Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game | Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 | Scythe | Gloomhaven | Root | Dune |
| Best Abstract Board Game | FITS | Paris Connection | Kingdom Builder | Tash-Kalar: Arena of Legends | Patchwork | - | - | - | - | - |
| Best Cooperative Game | - | - | - | - | - | - | Mechs vs. Minions | Gloomhaven | The Mind | The Crew: The Quest For Planet Nine |
| Best Solo Game | - | - | - | - | Imperial Settlers | Tiny Epic Galaxies | Scythe | Gloomhaven | That's Pretty Clever | Wingspan |
- RPG and Video Game awards
RPG and Video game awards were introduced in 2014 and awarded through 2017. Only 1 category was awarded in 2018, and none in following years.
| Category | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best RPG Artwork/Presentation | Player's Handbook (D&D 5e) | Mouse Guard (2nd Edition) | Volo's Guide to Monsters | Xanathar's Guide to Everything | - |
| Best RPG Supplement Winner | Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set | The Dracula Dossier: Director's Handbook | Volo's Guide to Monsters | Xanathar's Guide to Everything | - |
| RPG of the Year | Dungeon Master's Guide (D&D 5e) Player's Handbook (D&D 5e) |
Blades in the Dark | 7th Sea | Tales from the Loop | - |
| Best Indie Video Game Winner | Star Realms | Rocket League | Stardew Valley | Cuphead | - |
| Best Mobile/Handheld Video Game | Star Realms | Fallout Shelter | Twilight Struggle | Through the Ages | - |
| Best Video Game Visuals/Artwork | The Banner Saga | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Overwatch | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | - |
| Most Innovative Video Game | Galaxy Trucker | - | Pokémon GO | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | - |
| Video Game of the Year Winner | Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft | Multiple Winners | Multiple Winners | Multiple Winners | - |
| Best Board Game App Winner | - | - | Twilight Struggle | Through the Ages | Ganz Schön Clever |
2020–present
2020 saw many awards replaced with new categories, such as "Board Game of the Year" replaced with "Game of the Year, Light", "Medium" and "Heavy".
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game of the Year, Light | MicroMacro: Crime City | Cascadia | Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition | Thunder Road: Vendetta |
| Game of the Year, Medium | Lost Ruins of Arnak | The Crew: Mission Deep Sea | Heat: Pedal to the Metal | Earth |
| Game of the Year, Heavy | Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion | Ark Nova | Carnegie | Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory |
| Best Wargame | Imperial Struggle | Undaunted: Reinforcements | Undaunted: Stalingrad | Undaunted: Battle of Britain |
| Best 2-Player Board Game | Undaunted: North Africa | Radlands | Splendor Duel | Sky Team |
| Best Card Game | Dune: Imperium | - | - | - |
| Best Board Game Artwork & Presentation | On Mars | Sleeping Gods | Flamecraft | The Castles of Burgundy: Special Edition |
| Best Board Game Expansion | Wingspan: Oceania Expansion | Lost Ruins of Arnak: Expedition Leaders | Dune: Imperium – Rise of Ix | Ark Nova: Marine Worlds |
| Best Print & Play Board Game | 7 Wonders Duel: Solo | Gloomholdin' | Aquamarine | Waypoints |
| Most Innovative Board Game | MicroMacro: Crime City | Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile | Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition | Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory |
| Best Thematic Board Game | Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion | Sleeping Gods | Heat: Pedal to the Metal | Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory |
| Best Cooperative Game | Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion | The Crew: Mission Deep Sea | Return to Dark Tower | Sky Team |
| Best Solo Board Game | Under Falling Skies | Final Girl | Turing Machine | Legacy of Yu |
| Best Zoomable Game | Forgotten Waters | - | - | - |
| Best Party Game | - | So Clover! | Ready Set Bet | That's Not a Hat |
| Best Podcast | So Very Wrong About Games | Board Game Barrage | This Game Is Broken | One Stop Co-Op Shop |
| Best Board Game App | Root (2020) | Gloomhaven | Everdell | Unmatched: Digital Edition |
See also
- Amerigame
- Eurogame
- Going Cardboard (documentary)
References
- Woods, Stewart (2009). Eurogames: The Design, Culture and Play of Modern European Board Games. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786467976.
- "10 most popular board games among Board Game Geek readers". The Mercury News. 2020-12-07. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
- Riese, Monica (2016-09-25). "The 10 best board games for families". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 2019-05-26. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
- Roeder, Oliver (2015-01-22). "Stop Playing Monopoly With Your Kids (And Play These Games Instead)". FiveThirtyEight. Archived from the original on 2019-05-26. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
- Anderson, Nate. "Pandemic Legacy is the best board game ever—but is it "fun?"". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
- Woods, Stewart (2012). Eurogames: The Design, Culture and Play of Modern European Board Games. McFarland. p. 121. ISBN 9780786490653.
- Damerst, Lincoln (20 January 2020). "Happy 20th Anniversary BGG". Board Game Geek. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- Morgan, Matt. "13 New Tabletop Games for Winter - The Best of BGG Con". The Escapist. Archived from the original on 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2016-11-25.
- "The 2010 Award for Excellence in Gaming". The Diana Jones Award. 23 May 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
- Draper, Kevin (August 1, 2019). "Should Board Gamers Play the Roles of Racists, Slavers and Nazis?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
- "Academy - Hall of Fame". www.originsawards.net.
- "Role-Playing Games for People Who Don't Like Dungeons & Dragons". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
- Hall, Charlie (2015-02-13). "The best tabletop RPGs of 2014, finalists from Board Game Geek". Polygon. Archived from the original on 2019-05-26. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
- ^ "Golden Geek Board Game of the Year | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "BoardGameGeek | Gaming Unplugged Since 2000". boardgamegeek.com.
- "2009 Golden Geek Best Gamer's Board Game Winner | Board Game Honor | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- "Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Wargame | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Children's Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best 2-Player Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Family Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Party Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Card Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Board Game Artwork & Presentation | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Board Game Expansion | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Print & Play Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Most Innovative Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Thematic Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- "Golden Geek Best Abstract Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Cooperative Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- ^ "Golden Geek Best Solo Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.
- "Golden Geek Light Game of the Year". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "Golden Geek Medium Game of the Year". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "Golden Geek Heavy Game of the Year". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "Golden Geek Best Zoomable Board Game | Award Category | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com.